SAT PREP CENTER
Aug 7, 2018-2019 Jonathan K.
AP Computer Science introduces students to the formal concepts of object-oriented computer programming, including program design, control structures, data structures and algorithms using the Java programming language. It is a course designed to be comparable to a first year college level computer programming class. Students will gain an understanding of the history of computing, and the nature of hardware and software; the software design process, and the basics of object-oriented programming, as well as the ethical considerations of computer science. They will also gain a familiarity with Java classes, objects, and data types; basic Java syntax; constructor, accessor, and mutator methods; decision and looping statements; and logical operators, among others. During the second half of the course, students will have the opportunity to further develop and refine their programming skills by focusing on the techniques of data abstraction, including encapsulation and inheritance. In particular, the emphasis is on the organization of information and the implementation of common data structures such as arrays and array lists, as well as various searching and sorting methods through such structures. Students also explore recursion and the close relationship between data structures and algorithms including basic complexity analysis and comparisons between several different methods.
In addition, AP Computer Science is a course designed to enhance students' logical problem solving abilities. Not only does it increase student understandings of the Java language, but it also builds analytical skills that are valuable in the field of computer science, in other academic courses, and in life in general. This class will enable students to significantly increase their computer science and programming skills - skills that are needed in an ever increasing array of college courses and workplaces. Throughout this course, students are encouraged to work individually and collectively to solve problems, share solutions, and make important discoveries.
The course accommodates students with different levels of familiarity with Java and OOP. We will study classes and objects, constructors and methods, interfaces and inheritance, strings, arrays and ArrayList, and other topics specified in the AP CS Course Description. We will also review the College Board’s AP materials, and review the free-response questions from the latest AP CS Exam.
Please note: Schedule is subject to change without notice. Please check online for updated information and details.
